Former Arsenal star Thierry henry believes that the signing of Barcelona’s Pedro will be a better signing for Manchester United than Angel di Maria last summer.
The British record signing has left Old Trafford after just one season and Manchester United are looking to sign Pedro to replace him. The 28-year old has been heavily linked with a mive to Old trafford ever since di Maria was expected to leave.
However, an injury to Neymar meant Pedro will stay with Barcelona at least until the second leg of Spanish Super Cup is played on August 17. The Spanish international has a buy-out clause of £22 million.
Pedro’s former teammate Thierry Henry believes that the Spanian would be an instant hit and will thrive for success under van Gaal during his interview with The Sun.
“Manchester United will be getting an excellent player if they can complete the signing of Pedro,” Henry said.
“He was the perfect teammate for me at Barcelona because his understanding of wing play was second to none. No one was better at applying pressure from out wide. It is a position that is in his DNA.
“It’s been drilled into him by a lifetime at the Nou Camp and why I believe he will be such an important acquisition for United. Louis van Gaal’s teams play in a structured way. He wants his players to stick rigidly to their positions and maximise their area of the pitch.
“Angel Di Maria’s game was based on running free from the right or the left. He didn’t fit into Van Gaal’s setup and that’s why they have sold him. Pedro will be much more disciplined. He was more than important to Barcelona’s success, even though he spent much of last season as backup for [Lionel] Messi, Neymar and [Luis] Suarez.”
Henry also expressed his view on Louis van Gaal’s transfer policy this summer as the Dutch manager is keen on buying “proven winners” to challenge for Premier League.
“Van Gaal knows he cannot afford to wait for all of his new signings to gel at Old Trafford,” he added. “If the team don’t get off to a good start, they will be out of the title race for another year.
“That is why he is signing the likes of Pedro and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
“They will understand his requirements straight away and immediately do what is asked of them.
“Pedro is generous in his defending, he can score goals and give plenty of assists. He is a great professional who will do anything for the team.
“I loved him as a teammate and he can have a real positive impact on the Premier League.”